Thursday, February 4, 2016

~ 20 Things Texans Love ~

Texas is a diverse state with all kinds of people from all walks of life, but this state isn’t just a place — Texas is a culture unto itself. And this cultural melting pot comes about from all the numerous nations of people who came to this great country in order to make a better life.

In the wild frontier of the Lone Star State, they brought their foreign ways and traditions with them, and intermixed with one another to create a land unlike any other — Texas. So it may seem strange to outsiders that we eat Czech food for breakfast and Mexican food for lunch, but that’s just who we are. It’s in our DNA.

Texas culture revolves around a unique pride in our state and a universal love for all the things that come about from this land. There are odds and ends you only know by coming here to live, and other things you’ll never appreciate until you’ve moved. Everybody has their own taste, of course, but the things on this list are guaranteed to be a pretty big hit among most Texans. Here are 20 things Texans love.

20. Big trucks

You don’t have to live on a farm. You don’t have to use the bed to haul anything at all. Texans won’t think it’s weird for you to own a truck, take care of it as if it’s a human child, or put a ridiculous lift on it. In fact, Texans will pretty much think that’s awesome.

19. Bluebonnets

The blue lupin that adorns Texas fields and roadways spring after spring has a firm hold on Texan hearts. We don’t just pose for pictures in them either. Texans plant them and forbid one another from picking them. Though Texas is home to many varieties and colors of beautiful wildflowers, no other flower commands as much reverence as the state flower.

18. Tex-Mex food

There’s nothing in this world like Tex-Mex. Texan culture is closely intertwined with Mexican culture because we actually used to be the same country, believe it or not. Texans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and those of Hispanic heritage give their daughters Quinceañeras. The most common foreign language in these parts is of course Spanish. By and large, the most popular aspect of Mexican culture is its food. And it has changed and evolved over the years to become our own Tex-Mex creation, to be found nowhere else in the world.

17. Kolaches

Whether you see this word and think “sweet” or “sausage”, kolaches are a Texan favorite. Brought here from Czech immigrants, kolaches and klobasneks are thoroughly embedded in Texan culture. Any trip up or down I-35 is almost incomplete without pulling in to a rest stop, and grabbing a bit of this morning staple.

High school, college, professional — it doesn’t matter. We love football. Football games are broadcast on our radios, on our TVs and on our computer monitors. And it’s not uncommon to find us at one game or another, in our seats checking stats of the other games being played simulcast. Because, Texas.

15. “Y’all” and “Howdy”

Image via Elizabeth Abrahamsen

The two most Texan words in the Texas lexicon (or the Texicon, as I like to call it) are “y’all” (more than one person) and “howdy” (hello). We don’t care if you think it’s not grammatically correct. Don’t mess with Texas slang!

13. Whataburger

12. The Cotton Eyed Joe

A surefire way to get a group of Texans all riled up? Play them the Cotton Eyed Joe. The real one is the one with the fiddle music, not that awful techno version that became so popular elsewhere 10 years ago. The Texas one is played at Texas Rangers games and Texas honky tonks. That’s the way it should be.

11. Blue Bell

If the massive outpouring of support after the listeria outbreak didn’t prove Texans’ die-hard devotion to Blue Bell, then I don’t know what will. Dreyer’s in a cup? No thank you.

10. Chili

Texans love chili so much that we dedicate entire festivals to it. That’s right, plural, festival(s). Check out the Terlingua Chili Cookoff or Chilifest for a really good, really Texan time. Or just buy some D.L. Jardines and make it yourself, because doing things yourself is also pretty awesome.

9. Manners

Texans will have more respect for anyone who has good manners, and that doesn’t just end with “please” and “thank you”, it also includes table etiquette and thank-you cards. Without good manners and a firm grasp of being polite, you just ain’t right.

7. Floating the river

Texas has approximately one good beach, which is basically in Mexico. But our rivers are another story, they’re plentiful and clear and harbor some of the best freshwater in the state. The most awesome way to stay cool in the summer is to just float the river, ask any one of us.

6. Pecans in all forms

Texans love ourselves some pecans. In fact, some say the origin of the word “Pecos” means “pecan” in Comanche. Pecans are one of Texas’s greatest natural resources, and pecan trees will spring up almost anywhere here and thrive, so we put the nuts in darn near everything.

5. Queso

That melty cheesy ambrosia we call “queso” is its own food group in the Lone Star State. Dip in your tamales, put it on your rellenos, or eat it watching the Super Bowl — doesn’t matter. It’s just great.

3. Barbecue

All hail the mighty brisket. If there’s no single other greatest achievement by our forefathers, it is undeniably that they taught us to make our brisket: Crisp on the outside, moist on the inside, and smoked to perfection. It’s a moral imperative to keep your favorite sauce stocked at all times, and raise your children with an appetite that appreciates this great Texas gift.

Pat, it's nice to hear some of the things that Texans love. Such an interesting post, where do I start? Well, I just had a bowl of chili, but I've heard that Texas chili is great! The rodeo sounds fun; I've only been to it once and had the best time. The field of bluebonnets are so pretty. I didn't realize Y'all loved Pecans. Pecan pie is one of my favorites.

What a fun post to read, Pat! That bowl of queso looks so tasty...as does the chili, brisket, pecan pie, etc. Btw, have you ever had the queso at Torchy's Tacos? It's really good! Happy Texas weekend to you, Pat! xo

It makes my Heart happy to hear from you! Thank you so much for taking the time to say hello. I want to respond to each comment, however, if you are a "no reply blogger" I can't. Would love to have an email address to contact you!

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